The Companion Diaries
by Fire'CxO'Ice
Summary: A series of vignettes consisting of the various mishaps our heroine and her stoney-faced companion get themselves into. Romance/Adventure/Humour; Rated T for slight sexual themes and some language!
1. A Grave Error in Judgement

_AN: Hi everyone! I wanted to put the rating of this story back down to T (since it really isn't an M unless you read the original first chapter) but I also didn't want to completely remove Prophecies and Pornos because it is what started this entire fic. So, I have rearranged the chapters slightly. Nothing else has been changed :) Enjoy!  
_  
The Companion Diaries

A little background info, for those interested:

Main Character: Female Hyur; Kotori Thanatos; Bard/Archer/Conjurer

Companion: Male Elezen; Krios Archangel; Dragoon/Lancer/Pugilist

* * *

_A Grave Error in Judgement_

She was tiny. Possibly the smallest Hyur he'd ever seen. How in the_ seven Hells_ had he been paired up with this puny, fragile...thing? She had to be a third of his height, if that.

It wasn't even that she was so damned small. Well, that wasn't the _only_ issue.

She was a bard. A bloody songstress. What could she do in battle, sing their enemies to death? It was true, if an imperial were to break into song on the battlefield, he would most likely find himself too stunned to do much damage. But the shock would wear off momentarily, and then there would be nothing to stop him from splitting said imperial open, his entrails displayed for all to see.

The fate of all of Eorzea rested on him, and he was stuck with a bloody entertainer. The Gods were surely having a good laugh at his expense.

Upon first meeting his new partner, the girl, whatever her name was, had smiled shyly at him and offered a slender hand. Her leathers squeaked slightly with the movement. Well, at least she had enough brains in that puny skull to don some armour. Grudgingly - he may not think her a suitable soldier, but as he had no say in the matter it was best to keep their relationship as cordial as possible - he grasped her hand firmly in his own and gave it a swift shake. He was surprised to find her grip was strong, not gentle and flimsy as he'd expected. He'd introduced himself, they'd signed the ledger together, and off they went on their first mission.

And so, here they were, trudging through the Black Shroud forest as silently as possible. Their task was a simple one: meet up with a scouting regimen, receive their intel and report back to HQ. According to recent reports, there had been a group of Garleans traveling through Gridania recently. The two of them were nowhere near the area they'd been moving towards, but neither of them wanted to take the chance.

He had to admit - even if it was only to himself - that his new partner was probably a good choice for this mission. While he was no blunderer himself, she was agile and swift in a way that could only have come from years of training. She moved with a certain grace that he couldn't help but admire; drifting like smoke, as if her feet never truly touched the ground but ghosted across it, never crunching down upon a potentially treacherous leaf or snapping a stray twig. She was short enough that she didn't have to worry much about the branches here, though to be fair neither did he, for the trees stretched impossibly high above them, their leaves forming a dark green canopy that almost completely blotted out the night sky. Still, he could see from watching her that they wouldn't have posed a problem; on the contrary, she might have found them entertaining. She seemed to be enjoying herself as it was - hopping lithely over a puddle twice her length, she turned and flashed him a small grin. Her hair, near black in the darkness, swayed gently, just brushing past her chin as she inclined her head to the side, waiting.

He stepped over it easily, careful not to stomp on anything that would give away their location. He gestured for her to continue and after a small nod, she turned away from him, disappearing further into the dark forest.

The sun was beginning to rise when they finally reached their destination; Krios could just make out the orange tinge to bits of sky between the infinite amount of leaves hanging over them.

"It should be just ahead," the girl spoke softly into the silence, and when he shot her a questioning look she smiled knowingly. "You can smell the campfire smoke."

He paused, sniffing the air to find that she was right; it was strong, much heavier than he'd expected a few campfires to give off, but that might have been because of their closeness. He nodded once, and the two of them continued forward in silence. Until,

"You don't like me, do you?"

They were walking side by side, so he had to turn and look quite far down to see her expression. She didn't look angry or upset; with her bright green eyes, and her full lips pulling up at the corners, she looked to be quite amused.

He wanted to roll his eyes. If she was concerned about such mundane things as making friends, they were even more of a mismatch than he'd thought.

"That," he spoke, his tone emotionless, his face a mask of imperviousness, "is irrelevant." He turned away from her, staring ahead in search of the allied encampment. "Whether I like you or not is of no importance to the mission."

"That," she spoke in a low, masculine voice, and he realized with a start that she was attempting to imitate him, "was not what I asked."

He glanced at her, one eyebrow raised, to find her face deadly serious. As he stared, however, her lips started to tremble, that twinkle in her eye uncontrollable. Still, she fought valiantly, her entire mouth twitching, the corners jerking up sporadically until he rolled his eyes and let out a small huff of exasperation.

"I would not say that I did not like you," he answered, meeting her attempt at seriousness with his own. "We have yet to spend the better half of a fortnight together. I do not know you enough to decide such things."

There was finality in his tone, a dismissiveness that he hoped was enough of a warning for the girl to stop pestering him. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to care. Apparently being unable to speak for an entire evening had left her bursting at the seams for a conversation.

"That may be so," she assented, walking along cheerfully beside him, her hands clasped behind her back. "But there's something about me that bothers you. I can tell."

"Perhaps it is your insistence on pestering me with pointless remarks." He was growing irritated with this line of questioning. He neither liked nor disliked the girl. He simply believed - with good damn reason - that she was ill suited to be a warrior of any sort. A bard belonged in caverns and places of festivity, not in a potential warzone. Now, however, was not exactly the time to be discussing the matter.

She opened her mouth to fire off another retort, but whatever she would have said died in her throat. She stared past him, her eyes wide in shock, a small gasp escaping her.

He turned quickly, one hand swinging behind him to grab his lance. He soon realized, however, that the time for fighting had passed.

They'd come upon a clearing, allied tents and makeshift campfires having been set up long ago. This was the encampment, the spot where they were supposed to be meeting up with other members of the guild. At least, this was what was left of it.

Everything was destroyed, burnt to ash and soot. He'd thought the scent of smoke had been thick earlier; standing in the clearing, it was as if someone had stuffed soot up his very nostrils. He could taste it on his tongue.

His lance grasped firmly in his gloved hands, he turned to his partner. She had her bow at her side, an arrow already notched, her mouth drawn into a grim line. They moved forward slowly, eyes scanning the area for either friend or foe. The flames had long since died out, the fact that they hadn't spread to the surrounding forest making him inclined to the idea that it had been mage-fire.

"I think they've been and gone already," Kotori murmured as they reached the centre of the encampment. The smell was the worst here, for there was something other than smoke and ash in the air, something akin to the smell of cooked meat. "The flames have all but disappeared."

"We should search for survivors." Swinging his lance back over his shoulder, Krios began making his way through the rubble, wondering if it would be more of a blessing not to find anyone still alive.

The group stationed here hadn't been large, a rough 10 or 15 members. It was possible that a good chunk of them were out on patrol during the attack, and the others could have gotten out before it was too late.

The smell of burnt flesh filling the air begged to differ.

He saw a glint of metal a few feet from him; shifting forward, he lifted as much rubble from the area as he could, unburying a possible survivor. "Hold on," he urged, carefully removing piece after piece of wood to prevent a collapse. "I'm almost there." He managed to remove the largest pieces, enough to uncover the fallen soldier.

It was a Mi'qote, her soft pink ears scorched near black, poking out of the rubble. Her eyes were closed, a thick burn ravaging one side of her face. Leaning forward, he could make out the thick rasps of breathing. As gently as was possible, he lifted her into his arms, cradling her against him as he stepped away from the rubble. She was small, no larger than a child and even with a heavy suit of armour he managed to carry her with ease.

"Kotori!" He shouted as he lay her on the ground in the centre of the camp. "Tell me you can do something for her." He'd heard rumours before that some bards were talented conjurers, and that white magic was one of their stronger skills.

The girl was at his side in an instant, kneeling to place her hands almost reverently on the Mi'qote's forehead. "She's severely injured, but I can help." Closing her eyes, she brought one hand to her chest. A sudden wind picked up, blowing her dark blue hair this way and that, a faint bluish glow encompassing her. She opened her eyes, placing her hand in front of her, facing the girl. "It won't be enough to fix everything," she sighed, turning her green gaze to his, "but she'll survive long enough for us to get her proper treatment."

Already, he could hear the girl's ragged breathing becoming more steady. "Did you find anyone?"

A dark look crossed her face, and she stood, turning away. Shoulders tight, she shook her head. "No survivors."

He didn't miss her meaning. He opened his mouth to say something, try to offer words of comfort, but was interrupted by a sharp shriek. They both turned to see the Mi'qote girl writhing, hysterical, her eyes wide and full of fear.

"We can't get out!" She screamed, clawing at her face in terror, "I can't breathe. It's everywhere. Everyone's burning." Kotori ran to her side, prying her hands away from her face. The girl turned her terror-filled eyes on her, but didn't see her. Her mind was miles away, replaying the attack. "I'm burning. Oh gods, we're all burning alive!"

"Shh, you're safe now," Kotori soothed, but the girl was beyond consoling. Feeling utterly useless, Krios could only watch as she screamed in agony, reliving the death she'd narrowly escaped.

And then, he heard it. It was a soft, beautiful sound, like wind chimes blowing in a warm breeze. He turned to his partner, his mouth open in surprise.

She was singing.

Clasping the Mi'qote girl's hands in her own, her eyes shut, she sang. There were no words to the song, only a soft harmony that left him feeling utterly at peace. The girl had stopped screaming, her movements stilled as her eyes settled on Kotori's small form, seeing her past the memories of the fire.

"Are you...an angel?" She whispered, tears spilling freely from her eyes, leaving trails through the ash covering her face. "Am I dead?"

Kotori didn't answer, instead continuing the sweet rhythm until the girl shut her eyes and relaxed, her breathing slowing until she succumbed to sleep. Laying her hands gently across her chest, Kotori smiled before standing up.

"We best get her to Gridania. You don't mind carrying her, do you?" She turned to him, inclining her head in surprise when he simply stared at her. "What?"

"Nothing." He managed, bristling slightly. He gently scooped the girl into his arms once more, nodding for his partner to take the lead.

Well, he supposed, watching Kotori maneuver her way through the forest with ease. Maybe bards weren't so bad after all. Not that he was going to admit that to anyone but himself, of course.

_Fin_


	2. The Drinking Game

_The Drinking Game_

"Another _-hic- _round!"

"Kotori, don't you think you've had enough?"

"Puuuh-leeeease," she slurred, grinning goofily from around her empty mug of ale, "If he thinks he can _-hic-_ drink me under the table, he better _-hic-_ saddle that chocobo up and _-hic- _riiide 'er!"

Ferdinand Hyacinth stared at his younger cousin, wondering -not for the first time- if perhaps she had the misfortune of being dropped on her head once or twice in her earlier years. He grimaced as she let out a series of rather unattractive, head turning belches before slamming her cup on the counter.

"That's..er, six. Six? Aye, six mugs!" She cheered, jabbing a finger in what he could only assume she believed was her companion's direction. Sighing, Ferdinand pulled her arm to the left and winced apologetically at the young misshapen Miq'ote she'd mistakenly indicated, her arms raised in an alarmed gesture of surrender.

"Every time I visit," He grumbled, staring accusingly at the inebriated girl as she hollered for the barmaid, "you always manage to find new ways to humiliate me." Across the small wooden table from her, her evidently heavyweight partner tossed back his sixth cup, setting it down firmly with a wicked grin.

"Six it is." Krios stated, somehow managing that toneless, humourless voice of his despite the smirk on his face. "Shall we call it a night then?"

"Good luck with that, mate," Ferdinand muttered darkly, his eyes shifting from his cousin to the ever-growing crowd that had gathered around their table. Gods, she did love to make a spectacle of herself, didn't she? "Kotori here won't stop until she either wins or knocks herself out."

"I bet the gal makes it to ten!" Someone shouted, and there was a roar of boisterous cheers as the bidding went around, coins clattering noisily on the table as the barmaid pushed her way through, carrying a tray stacked with mugs. She set five down in front of each of them, eying his cousin with an amused resignation before patting her once on the shoulder and heading back to the bar, shaking her head as she went.

"Fifty gil says she drops at seven!"

"Nay, she'll beat the pants of the lad! Look at 'im, tryin' to be all serious-like."

"He's finished! She's got 'im in the bag!"

"I got seventy five here sayin' they both give!"

Good lord. Wasn't there a single right-minded individual in Limsa, or had they all left with the tide?

"Heeeyyy, Ferdie," Kotori sang, turning her glazed eyes on him even as her fingers curled over a full cup, "why so _-hic-_ serious?"

"Yeah, Ferdie!" A red-faced Lalafell shouted from the crowd, "Get some ale in your belly! It'll cheer ya right up!" Another chorus of cheers rang out, mugs clanking together in agreement as he silently shook his head, once again astounded by the crowds Kotori always seemed to attract.

Choosing to refrain from deigning her with a response, 'Ferdie' instead addressed her partner, who was looking to be enjoying this whole scenario all too much. "You know how she gets with competitions," he sighed, gesturing half-heartedly to Kotori, who was now attempting to lead the crowd in a cheer, waving her mug back and forth with zeal. "Why must you insist on goading her so?"

Krios only shrugged, his grin growing larger still when she rose out of her seat, wobbling from side to side and raising her ale in a toast.

"To the Drunken Wench," she cheered, listing to the side, her mug sloshing amber liquid onto the wooden floors, "May she always _-hic-_ live up to 'er name!"

With the rally of a few dozen "Aye!"'s and wallops and hoots cheering her on, Kotori attempted to bring the mug to her lips. The first few tries she succeeded only in spilling more of the drink, onto her own damned shirt for that matter, but, alas, a member of the crowd finally stepped forward and directed the mug for her. Smiling a dazed little half-smirk, she chugged what was left of it before spinning around precariously and slamming the empty cup on the table.

"Seven!" She hollered, raising both hands in victory and instigating another roar from the gathering onlookers. "Beat that, ya crazy Elezen!"

Well, Ferdinand supposed, watching as she led a series of 'hip-hip-hoorays!', it could always be worse. At least she still had all of her clothing on. The last time she'd come up to Ul'dah, she'd been prancing around the Miner's Guild in her underclothes, singing a rather crude song about the imperials and just what she'd do to them when she crossed them in battle. Sure, some patriotism was always welcome, even encouraged all across Eorzea. But when it's coming from a piss-drunk, near-naked five-foot-nothing Hyur, well. Somehow he couldn't quite see anyone taking her seriously. They'd laughed at him for weeks after she'd left, chanting her song and dancing about, waving their shirts in the air in a curiously accurate imitation of stripping. He'd made her promise to never hold one of her blasted drinking games there again.

And so, of course, the first thing she decided to do when he arrived that afternoon was celebrate with "a few drinks." Yeah, right.

"Seven." Krios stated smugly, setting his drink down before reaching for another. "Eight. Nine. Ten." He downed each glass, his eyes dancing with mirth as Kotori's expression wavered from joyfully smashed to grimly determined. The crowd was silent, hovering in a semicircle around the small table, their eyes dancing from one partner to the other. Even the barmaid had crept back, her curiosity insatiable, to watch in silent anticipation as the stakes rose ever higher.

"Oh, for God's sake," Ferdinand sighed loudly, slamming his fist down in frustration, "even I'm getting sucked into this ridiculous bout. Somebody give up so we can all go home already!"

Kotori sat down with a heavy thud, one arm snaking out to grasp a full cup of alcohol. "Eight." She muttered, downing it in one swift movement. Licking her lips, she set the cup down and reached for another. Across from her, Krios rose a brow, a wordless taunt that he knew she would fall prey to. "Nine," she breathed after shakily drinking the next one, holding the cup in both hands to keep it from toppling as she set it down. "Ten."

She blinked bleary eyes down at that final dreaded mug, looking less than amused as she wrapped her gloved hands around it. A murmur whispered through the crowd when she hesitated, touching the rim of the heavy cup to her lips. Last minute bets were made, coinpurses dropped heavily onto the tabletop as she met Krios' eye across the table. For that one second, her gaze seemed to clear, her inebriated state forgotten. With a small smile, she lifted the cup, nodding her head in a mock toast, and downed it. "Eleven." She sighed, letting the cup slip from her fingers to smack the table, rolling on its side in a small circle before clattering to the floor.

"Alright," Krios laughed, pushing his mug away. "I fold."

The crowd erupted into a series of cheers and groans as money changed hands, Krios grinning and shaking his head as Kotori giggled and slumped forward in her seat, her head thudding against the table none-too-gently. "I win!" She mumbled into the wood, rolling her head to the side to peak up at her cousin. "Told ya I'd do it, Ferdie."

"Yes, yes, how wonderful," Ferdinand responded, rolling his eyes. "You're a stubborn fool who'll have a hell of a hangover come morning."

Krios stood with ease, crossing the table to kneel beside her, that damned grin still on his face despite losing the bet. "Even piss drunk, somehow you still manage to surprise me," he laughed, slinging one of her arms around his neck.

"You'd best hold her face away from you, lest you want another surprise," Ferdinand advised as Krios pulled her to her feet, her face positively green. He shook his head as the two of them stumbled toward the inn, Kotori hanging limply onto his shoulders, humming some bard's tune he was unfamiliar with.

Kotori definitely knew how to create some excitement, that was for sure. Ferdinand would never get bored with a cousin like that. And as long as she had someone like Krios to look out for her when he wasn't around, well, he supposed that would be alright.

But really. He was starting to worry about the city's population. He'd yet to meet a decent, well-rounded person since his arrival.

"Excuse me," a voice interrupted his perusal and he turned away from the retreating form of his cousin to meet the chocolate brown eyes of an Elezen male, his skin the colour of smooth caramel. "Is this seat occupied?"

Startled, Ferdinand shook his head, gesturing for the man to have a seat. Smiling his thanks, the Elezen pulled out Kotori's former chair and sat down, his eyes roaming the crowded bar for a waitress.

Well, Ferdinand supposed, smiling to himself, perhaps they weren't _all _bad. He just needed to get to know them a little more.

_Fin_


	3. Prophecies and Pornos

_AN: This was originally the first chapter. WARNING: It contains smut, thus this chapter is rated M. If that form of writing does not appeal to your interests, feel free to skip this chapter; you will not miss anything crucial to the storyline. Enjoy! _

_Prophecies and Pornos_

"Krios...I..."

He put a finger to her lips, silencing her as his intense eyes raked her body; he licked his lips, one hand encircling her hips to pull her flush against him, the other moving away from her mouth to lightly caress her smooth cheek. Her own gloved hands were pressed up against his solid chest. She could feel the rapid beat of his heart through his armour. He brought his face closer to hers, those sharp eyes full of lust, and she found that she couldn't resist - she didn't want to. His lips met the corner of her mouth, and he trailed scorching kisses across her jaw, down her neck. She heard a moan of pleasure and realized a moment later that it'd come from her.

He continued his trek downward, pausing once he reached the strap of her leathers. Growling low in his throat, his hands moved to remove the offending object, pulling apart the buckles and ripping the jacket off her. Goosebumps covered her exposed flesh as he lightly drug his soft nose against her skin, stopping to plant a surprisingly gentle kiss on her bare shoulder. She moaned again, pulling her gloves off to run her fingers through his feathersoft hair - at some point his helmet had come off; she wasn't sure which one of them had removed it, neither did she care. Pulling his face up to hers, she pressed their lips together almost desperately. At first the kiss was soft, tender, before something not unlike desire overtook them both, and she found his tongue prying its way into her mouth. She let him in, her own tongue tracing his lower lip before moving deeper.

He pulled back first, his breathing slightly erratic as he knelt before her. His hands moved to the straps at her hips just as hers began tracing the folds of his own armour. She felt around, searching for the clasps to undo him; as she came across them she felt the buckle on her left hip unfasten, her leather pantaloons now hanging lopsided. Her fingers fumbled for a moment before she managed to remove the catch and, after a slight tug, his chest piece came off. She tossed it to the side, her eyes taking in the chiseled chest before her. Her hands moved to touch the smooth skin, trailing across his pecks before moving down his middle, to rest against his hard abdomen. A small sound escaped her and she bit her lip, feeling a fiery heat travel through her body, pooling between her legs.

He finally managed to unbuckle the right side of her leggings and in one swift movement he lifted her up, rising off his knees and moving toward the bed. She wrapped her bare legs around his waist, only a small scrap of underclothing still covering her. His mouth found hers again, their tongues tangling together before he set her down on the edge of the bed. He loosened the band around his waist and his legwear dropped like a stone, and she could see from the large bulge in his shorts that he was just as fired up as she was. She scooted back a bit, leaving her legs spread wide enough for him to rest his lean body against her. He crawled forward, agonizingly slowly, until he was kneeling in front of her, his legs sliding under her own so that she was once again hugging his waist. She moved to unfasten her skimpy undershirt. Just before she released her hold, she hesitated, and a small blush crept its way up her face to rest in her cheeks.

"Kotori," her companion murmured, that low tone sending tingles through her, "you need not be afraid." He leaned forward, reaching out a hand to stroke her cheek. "I will be very gentle." That only made her blush harder, her face heating up as she chewed her lower lip.

"That's not what I'm worried about," she managed, ducking her head to avoid his searching gaze. Her hands moved to the bed, fiddling with the woolen covers.

"Then what is it that troubles you?" He demanded, not unkindly. When she refused to meet his gaze, he let out a frustrated huff before tucking his hand under her chin and gently lifting her face to his. "Did I offend you in some way? Mayhaps I was a bit...forward?"

"No!" she very nearly shouted, before flushing crimson once more. She would have dropped her gaze once more, but his hand was still firmly clutching her chin. "Not at all."

He searched her face for a moment, trying to discern whether she was lying. His brows furrowed in confusion as he released her chin. "Then what is it?"

And here it was. She was going to ruin this juicy, hot, passionate moment with her damned emotions. Damnit. Why did she have to be such a sap?

"Do you...like me?" She blurted, wishing she could bury herself under the covers and hide. She settled for chewing harder on her lip - at this rate, she was going to bite it right in two - and wincing. He surprised her with a low chuckle, and when she chanced a glance at his face she saw his eyes were glittering with mirth.

"Is that what it is, then?" He sighed, smiling at her with an expression she couldn't quite put a name to. "You doubt my intentions."

She groaned miserably, covering her face with her hands. "I'm sorry, it's just-" and this next part came out all in one breath, " I don't want to get the wrong idea or anything because I really care about you and if we do this then I'm gonna have expectations of you and if you don't feel the same way-" the rest of her mortified rant was cut off by his lips pressing firmly against hers. She blinked, stunned, as he slowly pulled away from her.

"Silly Hyur," he whispered, smiling gently at her, "do you truly think I would make love to just anyone?" Her brain was short circuiting; she couldn't formulate a response. Seeing that he had her cornered - both figuratively and literally, as he was now pressing her up against the far wall beside the bed - his grin widened, and his hands moved to the back of her neck to pull loose her undershirt. "The answer to your question," he murmured, his breath hot against her neck as her shirt fell into her lap, "is yes. I like you. A lot." His hands trailed to the cloth still clinging to her hips, and he began to tug it free. "More so than any Hyur I've ever come across." He slid the garment over her knees, shifting away for her only long enough to pull them off her legs and toss them into a corner. "In fact," he paused to admire her in all her glory, his eyes trailing over every inch of porcelain, perfect skin. "I would say that I adore you more than any being in existence."

She shot forward, latching onto him as tightly as she could, her lips smothering his. His mouth quirked up in the corners in a small smirk before he succumbed to his own desires and shifted so that she was straddling him. With one hand he moved to free his erection from the constraints of his undershorts. Breaking their kiss, he simply looked at her, asking her with his eyes if this was truly what she wanted. In response, she reached down to touch him, wrapping her slender fingers around him and slowly stroking him. His eyes fell shut and he groaned, tugging her tighter to him. He could feel her nipples hardening against him as she pumped him faster and faster, rubbing up against him until he couldn't take it any longer. With a growl his eyes snapped open and he grabbed her hand, bringing it up quickly to his lips before he adjusted himself once more. Reminding himself at the last second to go slowly, he gently began to push inside her. She bit back a moan, her head falling against him, her fingernails digging into his shoulderblades.

He pulled out before pushing back in, deeper this time, slowly delving deeper and deeper with each thrust. Her moans encouraged him and he began to pick up the pace, thrusting faster, deeper, harder; with each push she clung tighter to him, her entire body bouncing ontop of his, her moans growing louder and louder until he was slamming into her and she was screaming his name, over and over again. He wasn't sure how much longer he could contain himself. Every time she said his name, it sent an electric jolt through him that only made him move faster, push harder so that he could hear her shout it louder.

"I- I'm-" she was moaning breathlessly, and then he felt her tighten around him and she let out a moan so sexual that it sent him right over the edge with her.

She was still wrapped around him, her forehead resting in the crook of his shoulder, her whole body trembling. He gently pulled out of her before lying them both down, tugging her so that she lay against him, his arms wrapped around her. He kissed the top of her head, murmuring softly in her ear.

"My precious Hyur, my Kotori," he whispered, his lips brushing softly against her ear, "there are not words to describe just how much I adore you. Know that my heart is yours, and yours alone."

She shifted in his arms, rolling over so that she was facing him and he could see the fresh tears in her eyes. For a split second he was horrified with himself, believing that he'd been so lost in his own desires that he'd forgotten to be careful with her.

"And mine," she whispered, reaching up to stroke his face, with a smile so beautiful it put the Gods themselves to shame, "belongs to only you." She pressed her lips to his in a tender kiss before snuggling up against him, resting her head under his chin.

* * *

"AAIEEEEE!"

"Whatthefuu-"

Kotori sat up with a start, unable to fully comprehend what she'd just Seen. On the other side of the campfire, her companion Krios was sputtering curses in quite the same fashion; his expression would have been comical to her if she wasn't so disturbed at the moment.

"What is it? What did you two See?" Another member of their team demanded earnestly. Even now, the others were beginning to stir at the racket the two of them had made.

"Nothing!" They blurted simultaneously. Their eyes met across the flames. Kotori blushed crimson and pulled the covers up, clutching them tightly to her chest. Krios stared at her for a moment before seeming to visibly shake himself. They both turned away from each other, lying down in opposite directions, and pretended to fall back asleep.

_Fin_


	4. Apple Pies and Suicidal Tendencies

_A/N: I've been sitting on this one for awhile, picking at it when I get the chance. There are sure to be many spelling errors, so I apologize in advance for those. Hopefully I caught most of them, but fresh eyes never hurt ;) Slight spoilers for the final MQ mission!_

Enjoy :)

Apple Pies and Suicidal Tendencies

When she found him, she was going to kill him.

What in Eorzea had he been thinking, running off on that undeniably suicidal mission with nothing but a brief, "Farewell, companion," cast over his shoulder? Leaving her in a stunned silence, wondering if that would be the last memory she ever had of him; the stoic set to his shoulders, the painfully impersonal parting words he'd given as an afterthought, like he'd completely forgotten she was there at all.

Had he really expected her to just sit idly by while he got himself _killed?_After nearly two years, you'd think Krios would have known her better. They'd come a long way from the awkward pair they'd once been; him with his stony silences and withering glares, and her, shy and completely at a loss as to how she could even start up a conversation with him. Ever the jubilant one, she'd approached the situation with enthusiasm and charm, both of which he appeared completely immune to. Still, she'd persevered, and with their first mission she'd managed to gain some semblance of grudging respect from him. That had served as a twisted form of an icebreaker, she supposed. Afterwards, his cold indifference toward her had shifted, dulled to a rather benign irritation. And she'd taken that as a sign that perhaps he wasn't the sullen, morbid man he portrayed himself to be. Perhaps, underneath it all, there was someone who may have been just a tiny bit lonesome, buried so far under all of that misery and seriousness that he couldn't seem to break free. It became her mission, a sort of personal challenge, to win him over, to break through that guarded visage and uncover what lay beneath. To earn his trust, his respect. Mayhaps, she dared to hope, his friendship. And so, driven by this newfound determination, she'd thrown herself into the task.

Alas, the man sure hadn't made it easy for her. It had taken her a hardy three moon cycles before she'd even seen him crack his first smile - and it had been a complete fluke, at that. She'd taken to cooking at the guild just south of the inn, watching and learning from the many veteran chefs that frequented the facility in order to improve on her rather mediocre skills. Krios had been visiting Limsa Lominsa at the time - for what purpose, she never had figured out - and he'd stopped by at her behest to sample her latest creation: caramel apple pie. It had taken her weeks of baking before she'd finally mastered the recipe, and since she knew he would be honest in his critique, she'd asked him to be the first to try it.

She'd been a mess when he'd arrived, covered head to foot in white baking flour, short strands of hair fanning around her face, having come out of the messy bun she'd pulled it into, her usual battle garb replaced with a tattered pale green cotton shirt, a tan apron and some slacks. She remembered hastily brushing her fallen bangs out of her face as he entered, unknowingly leaving a pebble-sized smear of flour on her cheek. Despite her obviously flustered appearance, Krios had remained silent, nodding his greeting as he moved to sit at the counter she'd been in the process of clearing off.

"Okay," she'd breathed, brushing her hands nervously on her apron and moving to the oven. "Here goes nothin'." Pulling the heavy stone door open, she snagged a stray towel and wrapped it around the pan to avoid burning herself, a mistake she'd foolishly made once before. Lifting the pie out of the oven, she'd carefully set it on the counter, looking it over for any obvious signs of error. Seeing none, she'd let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding, turning to her companion with a nervous half-smile. "Just gotta wait for it to cool, and then I'll cut you a slice."

He hadn't said a word, simply nodding his head again and resting both palms on the table, face down. After a moment he began thrumming his fingers against the wood, his gaze roaming absently about the modestly sized cookery. Kotori hadn't noticed it initially, her mind preoccupied with her own haggard appearance, but now that she was looking at him, she realized that he wasn't wearing his heavy plated armour; it wasn't often she saw him in anything else. In its place was a loose white linen shirt, open at the neck to reveal a soft splash of bronze skin. His gloveless fingers were long and thin as they tapped the table sporadically, the slender hands of an artist. His legs, covered by dark cotton pants that tucked into a pair of well-worn leather boots, were cramped under the decidedly short counter, his knees knocking against the underside of the stone as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. She'd had to admit, it was a strange sight to behold. The most unusual aspect, however, would have to have been his helmet - or rather, a lack thereof. He had a shock of thick black hair, slightly rumpled but appearing to be well maintained, the tips spiking up as if someone had recently run a hand through it. Looking at it now, she had a sudden surge of curiosity about what it would feel like to run her hands through it. Would it be rough between her fingers, she wondered, or feathery soft? Her hands tingled with the urge to find out.

"This is a new pastime of yours?" He'd surprised her with the question, the quiet murmur of his voice bringing an abrupt halt to her imagination, her eyes flashing guiltily to his face to find yellow-green eyes staring curiously back at her. She'd flushed, thinking she'd been caught in the extremely awkward act of outright ogling him, but before she'd managed to stammer out an apology he continued. "Baking. I hear tell you've taken to the kitchen quite astutely."

She'd had to laugh at that, though it came out sounding a little too relieved for her liking. "Aye, t'is a new hobby. But I've still got quite a deal to learn. Not," she added hastily, holding her hands out placatingly, "that you have anything to fear from sampling what I've made."

"I see," he'd replied, inclining his head slightly to the side and turning that pinning gaze of his to the pie resting on the counter beside him. "Shall I test that theory?"

The barest hint of humour in his tone had caught her off-guard, effectively killing the snide retort already on the tip of her tongue. Wide eyed, she'd only nodded, grabbing a bronze kitchen knife and a sturdy wooden plate before slicing into the pie, cutting up a relatively small piece. Sliding it onto the plate, she set it down in front of him, fishing around the counter for a fork. Finally finding one, she shakily handed it to him, the butterflies in her stomach going into overdrive. What if it was awful? What would she do if he told her it tasted terrible?

He'd nodded his thanks before breaking off a small piece from the tip of the slice, scooping it up and popping it into his mouth without a moment's hesitation. She'd stood, silently squirming as he chewed, his eyes widening slightly as he swallowed - never a good sign.

"It's..."

"Oh no, it's terrible isn't it! I'm SO sorry, I knew I should've practiced some more. You can spit it out, I don't mind. Oh, give it here, I'll toss it out myself-"

"It's delicious." He'd interrupted, turning to her with offensively obvious surprise. She might've snapped some indignant remark about him expecting it to be awful, but she'd been so startled by his words that the thought hadn't even occurred to her.

"It is?"

And then, just when she thought her night of surprises was over, he'd pulled another fast one over her. He'd smiled, his eyes softening, his entire expression so disarmingly gentle that she'd had the urge to rub her eyes and see if perhaps she was only imagining it.

"Yes, it is. Try it yourself, Master Pie Baker." He'd teased, his smile growing wider as she rolled her eyes indignantly. And yet, she'd been unable to keep the answering smile from her lips, even as she cut herself a slice and sat tentatively beside him, resting her elbows lightly on the counter.

"By the way," he'd began, his eyes dancing with some newfound mirth - apparently apple pie was the key to his humour - "You have flour all over your face."

She'd let out an embarrassed yelp, bringing a hand up to wipe furiously at her cheeks, and he'd sat there laughing at her, the big jerk. That had been the first time she'd seen him smile, heard him laugh - an honest laugh, not one of those dry, humourless barks he often followed with sarcastic remarks. Just for that moment, he'd let that wall slip away; he'd given her a glimpse at what lay just under the surface.

She would do anything to hear him laugh like that again.

So now, here she was, tracking a band of imperial scouts she'd seen slay one of the resistance members only moments before. Krios had been with him, and the others...What if she was too late? What if-

Something grabbed her firmly by the arm and hauled her to the ground, a hand covering her mouth to muffle her surprised shriek. She tried to kick out at her assailant, squirming in their iron grip, but her legs met nothing but air.

"Calm yourself! It's me!"

Immediately, she went limp. The hand slowly freed her lips, allowing her to turn to see her supposed attacker. There was a heavy fog blanketing the air and forcing her to squint, but she already knew who it was.

Krios was kneeling in the grass, his expression murderous as he regarded her through narrowed yellow eyes. "What are you doing here?" He hissed, his words so full of venom that she flinched. She probably would have backed away on instinct, but his other hand still had her in a vice-like grip.

"Saving your stupid arse!" She hissed back, tugging until he finally released her, scowling in the darkness.

"Clearly. You very nearly got us killed, you realize."

This was unbelievable. She'd travelled the entire distance from Ul'dah into the treacherous realm of Mor Dhona - on bloody foot, she might add - the whole time frantic at the thought of losing him, and he had the gall to berate her?

That was it. She was going to kill him.

"There is little time to argue," he whispered harshly as she prepared to give him a good thrashing, her hands curling into angry fists. "The Resistance members are just ahead. Follow me." And just like that he was pulling her to her feet and dragging her along behind him, his eyes flashing across the area before them in search of possible ambushes. She stumbled about, eventually pulling her arm free again and shooting him a vicious glare that he proceeded to ignore. Pulling out her bow and arrow, she trudged along behind him, visibly fuming. She was in the process of imagining the sixth way she'd torture him to death when he suddenly faltered, stumbling over something he'd missed in the fog. Muttering a curse, he stared down at the dark shape beneath him. For a moment he froze, and she crept up behind him, trying to peer around his armour-clad back to see.

"No..." he breathed, turning in a slow circle, regarding the ground in panicked disbelief. "It can't be."

She followed his gaze, letting out a tiny gasp when she met a familiar set of eyes, staring unseeingly right through her. "By the Gods..."

It was the Resistance team - or rather, what was left of them. Bodies littered the area, encompassing them in a macabre circle. She knelt next to the nearest one, a tiny Lalafell archer, his eyes staring blankly at the sky above. She closed them gently, bowing her head. "May Nymeia guide your soul safely to the afterlife."

There was a sudden clattering of armour and her eyes flashed up, past Krios, who was in the process of grabbing his lance, to the dark blur coming toward them. She rose, notching an arrow as the figure came closer, breaking free of the fog.

"The captain..." She heard Krios whisper, his stance faltering. And then, clearly dead, the Highlander dropped in a jumble of heavy limbs that hit the ground with a sickening thud. A man clad in imperial armour stood behind him, his hands empty of any visible weapons. The thick metal of his helmet wound into vicious horns on either side of his head, the black material continuing past his shoulders to the centre of his chest. A deep maroon cloth puffed out around his arms, tucking into his dark gloves.

"Kotori, get back."

She spared a glance in her partner's direction, reading the tension in his shoulders, the fierce hold he had on his weapon, his eyes locked on this clearly formidable foe. She stood her ground, tightening her grip on her bow, the notched arrow ready to fire at any moment. The enemy soldier didn't seem at all distressed with the two-to-one odds against him; he simply stood, watching them silently through the golden eyesockets of his helm.

"He couldn't have... Did he kill them all himself?" It couldn't be possible. They were well trained warriors, all of them dedicating their lives to the fight. How could one man single-handedly slaughter an entire resistance team?

"He's the imperial legatus."

Without warning, the Garlean raised his arm and shot out a blue ball of light. Kotori loosed her arrow just as it slammed into Krios' chest with enough force to throw him backwards. With a grunt of pain, he tumbled into the dirt, sliding across the ground before coming to rest just beside her, deathly still.

"Krios!" She cried out, her gaze fixed on his limp form, an icy fist clenching painfully around her heart. She turned to the Garlean soldier, finding that he'd managed to avoid her first shot. With an angry shout, she fired a series of arrows in rapid succession in his direction. He dodged them easily, moving with a swiftness that appeared inhuman as he drew a vicious sword from its sheath and cut down the last few of her arrows with ease. Still, she continued, her hands whipping behind her for ammunition until there was nothing left inside her quiver.

"You were unwise to come here," He muttered, watching as she slowly lowered her bow, reaching vainly for the small dagger she kept in a thigh buckle. Raising his arm once more, he fired off another blast. She couldn't stop the knee-jerk reaction to throw up her hands like a shield, flinching as the raw orb shot toward her. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the awful impact.

It never came.

Instead, there was a strange pinging sound, and she looked up to see a familiar Miq'ote blocking her path, the last remnants of a magical barrier fading away. There were a few more familiar faces gathering in a semi-circle before her, weapons at the ready.

"Impressive." The imperial murmured, dropping his arm. And then they were charging at him, each one exchanging blows, dodging back and forth in some twisted dance. Kotori spun on her heel, her dagger forgotten along the way as she ran to Krios' side. She knelt beside him, her fingers reaching out hesitantly to touch the vulnerable patch of neck where his armour didn't quite cover, to feel for a pulse. Her trembling fingers were rewarded with the faintest of thumps, tears of relief flooding her vision.

"Krios...?"

His eyelids fluttered, his expression twisting into a pained grimace as they slowly peeled open, greenish yellow eyes staring intently up at her.

"Krios!"

He let out a grunt in response, slowly sitting up, one arm hanging limply at his side. The other he used to remove his helmet, pulling it off and tossing it into the dirt with an aggravated huff.

"Can you stand?" She asked, warily looking him over for any serious injuries. It looked like his armour had taken the worst of the hit, crumpled like tinsel as it was; There was a dark bruise around his eye, likely to worsen in appearance with time, but aside from his arm, which was probably broken judging by his ashen expression and the tight line of his lips, he seemed to be miraculously safe.

"I am unharmed," he insisted, managing an indifferent tone as he struggled to his feet, ignoring the hand she'd offered him. "T'is but a scratch."

"But your arm-"

"Believe me," he interrupted, giving her a humourless smile as he pushed past her, heading for the ongoing fight, "I have suffered more grievous wounds than this. I am fine."

She stormed after him, jumping forward to block his path, her hands splayed in front of her to halt him in his tracks. "You are not fine," she hissed, shoving at his chest when he tried to push past her again, feeling a pang of guilt when he winced at the pressure. Gods, he probably had a few broken ribs. "Look at you. I barely lay a hand on you and you're practically doubled over in pain." She stood her ground, digging her leather boots into the dirt as he straightened, shooting her a dark glare.

"You will stand aside."

"No."

"Kotori. Stand aside."

"I said no."

"Damnit, Kotori!" He hissed, grasping her shoulder with his good arm and squeezing with a frightening grip. "I will forcibly remove you, if need be."

"You can try." She challenged, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh. She refused to back down, meeting his furious gaze with her own, her teeth grit together hard enough that she imagined she could feel them being ground into her gums from the pressure.

"Stubborn fool," he breathed, his grip now so impossibly tight that her arm went numb, "Do you not see that I am trying to save your life?"

"And what have I been fightin' so desperately for this entire time?" She answered, the anger completely draining from her voice, to be replaced by a sudden, heavy exhaustion. "Really, are you that thick? Do I have to spell it out for you?"

He dropped her shoulder, flinching away as if he'd been stung. Her arm tingled absently, the blood beginning to rush back to her fingertips.

"Kotori.." He started, his voice barely more than a whisper. Whatever he'd been about to say, however, was lost in an ear-splitting rumble of thunder. There was a sudden explosion of light from above, distracting them both as something plummeted toward them. From behind her, Kotori could hear shouting, voices calling to one another, growing louder by the second. She spun on her heel in time to see the Miq'ote and her companions barreling toward them, her hand outstretched, catlike eyes narrowed in concentration. She felt a hand fall onto her shoulder, but before she could turn to him, to say anything, the ground exploded around them and her vision faded into darkness.

"Kotori."

She opened her eyes slowly, wincing when a bright light attempted to blind her. "Krios? What happened?"

"I haven't the slightest idea. Y'shtola was here, she must have teleported us away with one of her spells. She vanished before I could question her."

"Who's that? The Mi'qote?"

"That is correct. Be still." he chastised firmly when she tried to sit up and a sharp pain reverberated from her spine into her skull. She groaned, bringing a hand to her head.

"Ow."

"The pain should subside, as soon as you stop wriggling about so," he muttered darkly, and she blinked bleary eyes at him, trying to discern his expression. His left eye was bruised black, looking much worse than she remembered, his entire face caked in dirt, but that didn't veil his furious expression.

"You're mad." She declared, surprised when his scowl grew even darker.

"That's a bloody understatement," he growled, his light eyes flashing furiously, "You could have been killed. What the hell were you thinking, showing up like that?"

"What was I thinking?" She shouted angrily, sitting up and ignoring the stab of pain the movement initiated. "What were you thinking, you ungrateful mongrel! How could you just leave, without even saying goodbye to me-"

"-I bid you farewell before I departed-"

"-That was NOT a farewell!" She shrieked, giving him a hard shove. He let out a surprised grunt as he toppled backward, landing hard on his buttocks, his injured arm held gingerly across his chest. " You didn't even give me the option of going with you, you bastard. What was I supposed to do, huh? Just let you die?" She raised her fists threateningly when he shifted closer, his face fixed in a seemingly permanent scowl.

"I was only trying to protect you," he hissed, grabbing her petite wrists in one hand to stop her from beating him to death. "This was not your fight. I couldn't ask you to risk your life for my own sake."

"I'm your partner, Krios," she spat back, struggling when he refused to let her go. "I risk my life for you every bloody day. As do you. It's part of the damned job."

He opened his mouth to argue further, but at the last second decided against it. Letting his breath out in a deep, heavy sigh, he released her wrists, ducking his head. "I know," he whispered, running his good hand instead distractedly through his hair. "I suppose, if you hadn't arrived when you did...Well. You have my thanks."

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" She tried to tease, but her voice only ended up sounding flat. He snorted anyway, rising to his feet before pulling her up alongside him.

"Agonizingly so. I may have ruptured something just thinking the words."

"Keep it up, elezen, and I'll make sure that's not the only thing you rupture."

And then he laughed, a shaky, breathless sound, soon followed by a pained hiss, one hand coming to press gingerly against his ribs. His injured arm dangled at his side - dislocated, she could see now - and, hunched over as he was, dragging his feet and trying to put on a brave face, she couldn't help but think that he looked adorable.

"Come here," she sighed, pulling him by the good shoulder so that they were facing each other, her hand reaching out to rest on his mangled breastplate. She closed her eyes for a moment, tapping into the aether-energy she'd need for the small cast. A faint white-blue glow emanated from her palm, sending sparkles dancing off the metal of his armour before gently fading away. "It won't fix any broken ribs," she explained, knocking her fist gently on the plate, "but it should close up any internal punctures. The pain should dull down a bit as well."

He nodded his thanks before moving to grab his dislocated shoulder. Bracing himself, he quickly snapped it back into place, a grunt and a slight wince the only signs that it had pained him at all.

"I'm leaving that black eye of yours," she pointed one finger to his face, wiggling it back and forth in disapproval. "Serves you right, leavin' me behind and all."

He rolled his eyes indignantly, letting out a frustrated huff. "Must you continue to pester me so? I was trying to keep you safe, you blasted songstress."

"Yeah? Well if I'm not here, then who's gonna keep you safe, genius?"

Instead of the haughty retort she'd expected, he simply blinked at her, clearly taken aback. "Again..." He hesitated, his bright eyes meeting hers. "I am in your debt."

"Damn right ya are," she grinned cheekily up at him, bumping his side with her shoulder. "I expect you to meet me at the cookery bright and early tomorrow morn'. We've got some vacation time until those ribs o' yours heal up, and I've got a few new recipes to experiment with."

"Very well." He ducked his head slightly, turning to shoot her one of his rare, genuine smiles. "I look forward to seeing you in action."

Somehow, even covered in cuts and bruises and filth, that smile was still the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen.

_Fin_


	5. When Fat Dodos Attack!

_When Fat Dodos Attack!_

"Yuck. Those things are disgusting."

"I don't know. I think they're kinda cute."

Kotori Thanatos pulled a cobalt arrow out of the eyeball of said 'things' - toxic toads, to be speciﬁc - grimacing in disgust when along with the arrow came thick mucus the colour of bad cheese. "I think my lunch will be makin' another appearance," she groaned, trying not to breathe the smell into her nostrils.

"Speaking of ﬁne cuisine," Ferdinand Hyacinth, the older and (usually) more level headed of the two began animatedly, his lance resting comfortably between his shoulder blades, already cleaned of any cheesey entrails, "I won't be joining you for dinner this evening." He was positively beaming at her now, bouncing excitedly from one booted foot to the other as she scavenged the corpses for arrows. Those blasted things were a solid 35 gil a pop -and even then, you had to know where to go and who to shop from; no way was she going anywhere without 'em.

"Oh really," she offered, smirking slyly at him as she wrenched another arrow from the forehead of a fallen monster. "Krios will be so disappointed."

"He'll live." Ferdinand stated drily, now crossing and uncrossing his arms in rapid succession. "Don't you want to know why?"

She paused in her arrow retrieval operation to frown uncertainly at her cousin, who was looking in rather desperate need of a latrine. "Well, last I checked he hadn't fallen ill," she answered, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "And he hasn't suffered any grievous injuries of late-"

"-Not him." Ferdinand interrupted impatiently, halting his little jig to gesture frantically at himself. "Me. Don't you want to know why I'm passing up one of your delicious entrées?"

"That had better not be sarcasm."

"By the Gods, you're impossible. Never mind the asking," he muttered, annoyance clear as the afternoon sky on his face. "Clearly you are incapable of performing any semblance of human thought. I'll just tell you." He cleared his throat, attempting to reify his former state of excitement, before giving her a surprisingly shy smile. "I'm having dinner with someone tonight."

She blinked. "...Like, a date?"

He nodded enthusiastically, a faint blush colouring his tanned skin. "I met him last week, at that cavern...What's the name again, the Floating Lady?"

"Drowning Wench."

"Oh. Right. Nevertheless," he continued happily, his smile growing, "We've seen a great deal of one another these past few days, and yesterday he offered to cook dinner."

"Did you warn him of your incapacitating fear of any and all things born from the sea?"

"Hilarious." He deadpanned, clearly unamused by her antics. She laughed anyway, turning away to grab the last of her arrows before they made their way back to the city. Wiping them off on the thighs of her pantaloons, she chastised herself for forgetting to pick up some more hempen cloth. This stuff was a pain in the arse to scrub out. After shoving them back into her quiver, she started forward, gesturing for her cousin to follow.

"I'll have you know," he protested meekly, falling in step beside her as they began the long trek toward Limsa Lominsa, "that I do not have an incapacitating fear of seafood. I simply prefer food grown on land."

"Do you remember what happened the ﬁrst time you came to visit me?"

He tapped his chin thoughtfully, squinting into the distance, his armour rattling with each step. "Um, forgive me, but my memory seems to have evaded me."

"Yeah right. I bet you repressed it."

"Why in the world would I do that?"

"I tried to serve you fried tiger cod. I've never seen someone with skin as dark as yours go so damn pale." She let out a snort, kicking a stray pebble out of her path with the toe of her boot.

"Well, can you really blame me?" He shot back, giving her a disgruntled look as they passed a trail leading to one of the nearby aetheryte camps. Which one was it again? All the names of all the different camps were starting to blend together. "Back then you'd never even touched a stove before. It was probably still alive when you served it to me."

"It was not! And I wasn't that awful."

He was saved from answering that particularly loaded question when a young Lalafell woman dressed in dark leather ran past them, shrieking hysterically. A panic-stricken Hyur soon followed, running as fast as he could in a full suit of armour.

"M-m-monster!"

"Run fer yer lives, mates!"

A steady stream of adventurers of all shapes and sizes streaked by them, each one howling and screaming about some devastating monster terrorizing the neighbouring encampment. Kotori raised a brow at her cousin and he shrugged in response. The two of them picked up the pace, coming across a few stragglers who paused only to shout ominous "It'll kill us all!"s and "You won't stand a chance!"'s before sprinting for Limsa Lominsa.

"It must be the saltwater." Ferdinand mused, reaching behind him to unhook his lance. "The people in Limsa are all insane. It's got to be the water."

Kotori made an indignant noise of protest, drawing her own bow and arrow in one smooth motion. "I live here."

"My point exactly."

"Oh, shut it. You're afraid of ﬁsh."

"I am NOT-"

They were interrupted by a sharp battlecry, both turning in unison to see the camp battlewarden blasting off a stream of profanities as he fought off a trio of stray dodos. With a violent shout he swung his axe in a sweeping arc, downing his enemies with one smooth blow.

"That's what had the brave adventurers of Eorzea pissin' themselves in terror over?" Kotori mused aloud, frowning as the creatures went down. Ferdinand shrugged wordlessly, the two of them making their way forward, weapons at the ready. The warden slung his axe over his shoulder, ﬁshing around in his pocket to draw out a pink glowing linkpearl. He brought it to his lips and immediately started barking out orders.

"We need reinforcements on the double! Get the 'Cudas if you must, but make haste!" He paused to wipe a stream of sweat from his forehead, leaving in its stead a streak of dirt. "The Gods only know how long it will be before that thing returns."

"The Knights?" Kotori questioned as they entered the camp, staring in confusion as he set the pearl back in his pocket and turned to address them, his expression grim. "What's going on?"

"We've got ourselves in a right good pickle is what's goin' on," he answered sternly, gesturing at the corpses of the dodos lying in front of him. "Out of nowhere, these blasted things turned aggressive on us, chargin' the camp like they'd been possessed." He shoved one away from him with his foot, disgusted. "A few of us managed to get rid o' the little ones."

Kotori crept closer, her gaze sweeping the camp. There were a handful of dodos lying about, along with several wounded adventurers. Holstering her bow, she made her way to the nearest of the injured.

"So," Ferdinand began slowly, watching as the warden began cleaning off his axe, "you're telling us that an entire camp was routed... By a pack of dodos?" He fought not to laugh, honestly, but it proved to be a losing battle. A small snort escaped him, the warden eying him with growing fury.

"These blasted things weren't the problem!" He exploded, waving his axe around dangerously in one hand, his other raised into a ﬁst. Ferdinand took a wary step back, the blade coming a little too close for his comfort. "What do you think we are, a pack of imbeciles?"

"That's not exactly the word I would use," he hedged, wishing that he'd chosen healer duty so that Kotori could've dealt with this maniac.

The warden opened his mouth to respond when his face suddenly paled, his eyes growing wide with fear. "They're too late," he croaked, his mouth hanging open in a lopsided O. "It's here."

"What's the problem now?" His question went unanswered, the warden turning away from him to shout orders to the remaining soldiers.

"Arm yourselves! It comes!"

Before Ferdinand could once again address the fact that he was totally in the dark, he felt it. The ground was beginning to shake, a heavy booming like thunder echoing throughout the deathly silent camp. He met Kotori's eye as she stood, shooting him a wary look before once again grabbing her bow.

The sound grew louder, the earth shuddering with each pound.

"Steady, men! Steady!" The warden and a handful of those still standing formed two lines before them, weapons drawn as the shaking continued.

"What in the seven hells," Kotori breathed beside him, her light green eyes comically wide, "is that."

In the distance, a giant brown blob was rolling toward them, crushing everything in its path.

"It looks like a ball of feathers," Ferdinand remarked, straining to see the thing in more detail. "A giant ball of feathers."

"Do you hear that?" Kotori asked, nudging him with her elbow. "It sounds like...squawking."

She was right. There was a faint sound, growing louder along with the increasing pace of that damned thumping, that sounded akin to a very angry bird.

"Wait a minute..." He stared at the blob, its size growing as it closed the distance.

"That's not a ball of feathers is it?" Kotori muttered glumly, notching an arrow and taking aim.

"Unfortunately not." He sighed, glancing at the slowly setting sun. He had a feeling his dinner plans were going to be cancelled for the evening.

It was a giant dodo, easily three times his own height, barreling toward them at breakneck speed. Its tiny wings ﬂapping pointlessly at its sides, it let out another screech as it charged forward, knocking the ﬁrst row of guards into the second as if they were pins on a giant bowling alley.

"That is one fat dodo," Kotori couldn't help but giggle, watching as it stomped toward them, shaking the earth with each step.

"Why do these bizarre occurrences always have a way of ﬁnding you, dear cousin?" Ferdinand demanded acidly, tightening his grip on his spear as the dodo closed the distance, squawking absurdly.

She didn't answer, instead ﬁring at the oncoming monster. The arrow sliced through the air, embedding itself in the centre of its forehead with a sickening crunch.

"Hah! Right between the eyes!" She cheered, watching with a satisﬁed smirk as the dodo halted in its tracks, wobbling heavily from side to side. "Never send a marauder to do an archer's job." From behind the creature, the warden was cautiously poking his head out from under the mess of tangled bodies he'd been thrown into. He shot her a dirty look as he pulled himself free, scrambling around for a moment before ﬁnding his axe.

"I'll have you know that I've been guardin' this camp for a right thirty summers, and I ain't ever seen a dodo that gigantic, nor as vicious either." He trudged toward them, his axe dangling at his side, pausing to take a closer look at the obese monster.

Ferdinand shrugged, casting his eyes upward. "Blame it on Dalamud, friend. Rumour has it strange creatures have been showing up ever since that moon started its bizarre transformation."

Kotori shot him a small smile, rolling her eyes as the warden continued his 'back in my day' rant. Tuning him out, she headed over to the dodo, stepping around a few dazed but relatively unharmed adventurers before reaching the giant mound of feathers. The hilt of the arrow she used gleamed in the dimming sunlight from its spot in the dodo's forehead, towering above her as it was. The thing was massive, she realized, tilting her head as far back as she could and taking a few steps back. To get that stupid arrow out, she was going to have to climb the blasted thing.

Well, frugal is as frugal does. She was going to get that arrow, damnit. She stepped closer, her eyes trailing the enormous beast, searching for a steady spot to start the climb. She reached out a hand, her ﬁngers whispering across the surprisingly soft feathers, trying to ﬁnd something to grip. Pushing her hand a little deeper, she caught hold of a fatty layer of ﬂesh. With an excited smirk, she steadied herself, reaching up with her other hand to grab on, and began to climb.

"Don't mind her," Ferdinand waved a hand half-heartedly in his cousin's direction when the warden started forward, panicked. "She's quite taken with those arrows of hers. They're like children to her."

A few of the other soldiers had wandered closer to the fallen creature, mixtures of curiosity and disgust etched on their faces. One of them carried a bow himself, nodding in understanding.

"Them arrows sure put a hole in a man's pockets," he sighed, rolling his shoulders. "I s'pose only a true marksman would understand."

The lancer and the marauder shared a look, brows raised. They took turns rolling their eyes before turning to watch Kotori's ascension. She'd made it almost halfway up while they'd been chatting, her tiny frame crawling smoothly through the mass of feathers; with the way she moved, so practiced, with such ease, it appeared as if she made a hobby of climbing fat dodos in her spare time. Still, Ferdinand couldn't resist egging her on, just a little.

"Do pick up the pace, cousin," he sighed, ﬂicking a chunk of dirt off his shoulderpad with disdain, "I have important plans this night."

She let out a hoot of laughter, hanging from one hand so she could turn to look at him. "Aye, captain!" She gave him a sharp salute before continuing her climb, picking up the pace. In another minute she reached the top, clamping her knees around the dodo's head as she leaned forward to grasp the arrow in both hands. At ﬁrst it wouldn't budge, buried deep into the cranium of the creature. Redoubling her efforts, she dared to lean further, adjusting her grip. With another sharp tug, the arrow came loose with a sickening, wet ripping sound. She threw it, javelin style, at his feet; it landed in the dirt, arrowhead ﬁrst. He picked it up, grimacing at the strong, sickly sweet odor coming from the gunk still fresh on the weapon.

"Piece of cake!" She called down, dangling lazily by her legs, her hands swaying in front of her. "We really ought to do this more often."

"She's a nimble little thing, ain't she?" The warden murmured, the awe in his voice enough to make Ferdinand want to roll his eyes again. But there was a strong feeling of pride for his cousin and her abilities, and he smiled, nodding his agreement.

"She's the best bard this side of Eorzea," he conﬁded softly as a few of the surrounding soldiers gave her a round of cheers and applause. "I've never seen anyone quite like her."

"It looks like we'll be needing the best," the warden added, his tone full of worry as they both stared at the massive dodo. "Something's coming... Something that ain't no natural phenomena." He glanced up at the sky, the blood red moon glimmering ominously as he spoke.

"Whatever comes, we'll be ready for it." Ferdinand declared, his voice coming out strong and sure. Though, if he was being honest, he really didn't have a clue if they ever could be ready. This thing that was coming, the feeling that hung in the air... It felt like the end.

"I sure hope-"

The warden's comment was cut off by a sharp screech, and they both swung their attention back to the apparently NOT dead dodo. It was rising to its feet unsteadily, ﬂapping its petite wings and sending a ﬂurry of feathers cascading around the camp. With a cry, Kotori toppled backward, somersaulting midair, her limbs ﬂailing helplessly. She managed to snag an arm around the creature's neck as she went down, her feet digging into its back to slow her fall. Pulling herself back up, she looped another arm around the dodo as it wobbled from side to side. With another screech it took a heavy step forward - the soldiers scattered like ants, some grabbing weapons, others simply ﬂeeing for the city gates.

"Stand yer ground, men!" The warden was shouting amidst the chaos, his massive axe already swinging, "hit it while it's still dazed!" But his orders went unheard; men and women scrambled everywhere, trying to avoid getting tread underfoot as the dodo took another slow step. Kotori still hung from the monster's neck, swinging precariously with each of its wobbly steps.

"Kotori! Hold on!"

"That's what I'm tryin' to do!" She spat out, clinging ﬁercely to the dodo's thick layer of skin, thanking the divines that its absurd obesity was actually beneﬁcial to her. Ferdinand dropped his cousin's gear, unlatching his lance from his back and gripping it ﬁercely in both hands. The battlewarden at his side, they charged the creature, weapons glimmering in the dusky light. With a shout, the warden brought his axe down, lodging it heavily into the dodo's side. It made an angry squawk, lifting one foot to kick out at them. Sucking in a sharp breath, Ferdinand dove to the side, rolling through the dirt to avoid the monster's attack. The warden wasn't so lucky; the dodo hit him square in the chest, sending him ﬂying across the camp. He crashed into the aetheryte stone with a sickening crunch, sliding limply to the ground. Ferdinand spared him a quick glance, but there was no time to help him; the dodo was already turning its beady eyes on him, shrieking shrilly as it started forward. Readjusting his hold on his weapon, Ferdinand braced himself, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

"What are you doing?" His cousin shouted down at him from her hanging spot, arms still twined around the beast's neck. "Get out of the way!"  
He took a slow, deep breath, trying to steady himself. This wasn't going to work if he didn't calm his nerves. The ground shook with each of the dodo's giant steps, and it began to pick up the pace, closing the distance between them. Letting out a ﬁerce shout, he charged forward, weapon at the ready.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!" Kotori was shrieking at him now, spewing profanities and insults he'd never even heard of before. She was evidently spending too much time with the Limsan sailors. If they survived this, he was going to have a chat with her about that.

They ran at each other full force, Ferdinand doing his best not to stumble from the minor earthquake the creature was creating. At the last second he slid onto his back, weapon raised, using his momentum to skid underneath the dodo's belly and, hopefully, avoid its enormous claws. His lance carved into the creature as he slid past, a wet ripping sound his only conﬁrmation that it was working. When his body slowed to a stop, he quickly rose to his feet, spinning on one heel, ready for another attack. But the dodo didn't turn; it remained motionless for a moment, utterly silent. And then, with a soft croak, it keeled forward, slamming into the ground with a heavy thunk and creating a thick fog of dust. Ferdinand squeezed his eyes shut against the dirt, putting a hand over his mouth. The sun ﬁnally ﬁnished its descent, the last of its light lost behind the horizon. With only the moon as his guide, he trudged slowly forward.

"Kotori!" Silence answered his mufﬂed shout, and he opened his eyes, squinting through the dust. "Answer me! Kotori, where are you?" He continued the trek, stumbling blindly until his legs collided with something huge, soft and squishy. The dodo. He shoved his hands forward, tracing the body as a guide, crawling across it as quickly as he could. He heard a low groan, followed by a curse off to one side and he shot forward, pulling through the bloodstained feathers to get to his cousin. It wasn't long before he ﬁnally stumbled across her, half buried under the dirt the creature had kicked up when it collapsed.

"Are you injured?" He started to pull her up, brushing away the dirt and grime that covered her when she let out a sharp cry of pain.

"My leg," she hissed, wincing. "I can't seem to pull it free." The dust was settling enough for him to examine her, peering through the darkness, and he discovered the source of the problem. The dodo had landed on her in the fall, pinning the lower half of her body to the earth. It was a miracle she hadn't been killed, but...

"It's bad, ain't it?" She demanded weakly, squinting up at him, her bright green eyes standing out against her dirt-crusted face.

"Nothing we can't ﬁx, though I will need your assistance." He hesitated, turning away from the creature to meet her earnest gaze. "It's going to hurt. Quite a bit, I'm afraid."

She lifted her chin bravely, without hesitation. "Just tell me what I gotta do."

He nodded, shifting to place both hands against the dodo's body, still warm beneath his ﬁngertips. "When I give the word, I need you to move. Use you arms to crawl backward."

"Got it." She took a deep, shuddering breath, looking grim. "Let's get this over with quickly. Don't want you to be late for your dinner now do we?"

The corners of his mouth quirked up half-heartedly, he simply nodded. Leaning his shoulder against the dodo, he glanced over at her. "Ready?"

"Aye."

He shoved with all his might, heaving with his shoulder and pulling upward with his arms, but the creature barely moved. Kotori struggled to pull herself free, unable to keep the pained whimpering from escaping her lips, but it was to no avail. The damned fat monster was too large for him to lift on his own.

"Mayhaps," Kotori gasped, soaked with sweat from her efforts, " you should get some outside assistance. We aren't having any luck."

"I'll not leave you to the mercy of scavengers and beasts, cousin." He argued, shoving against the creature angrily. "Keep pulling."

"Ferdy-"

"-I won't abandon you too!" He shouted viscously, turning to glare at her, his hands curling into ﬁsts. "I can't...I won't."

Her breath caught, and he could see her eyes glimmering in the darkness, fresh tears clinging to her lashes.

"Ferdinand..."

"Here! They're over here, mates!" Someone shouted, catching them both off guard. Suddenly they were surrounded by a herd of people, men and women shouting commands to each other as they surged forward.

"Thall's balls, look at the size o' this thing!"

"I ain't ne'er seen nothin' like it."

"Are they here?" A familiar voice asked weakly, and Ferdinand peered into the gloom, searching for a face to match the voice. Sure enough, the Battlewarden stumbled forward, each arm slung around the neck of two men he didn't recognize. Ferdinand did, however, recognize their uniforms.

The Maelstrom had arrived.

* * *

"Hand me that container, would you? Yes, that's the one."

Kotori Thanatos held one hand out expectantly, her other clasped ﬁrmly around one of the two wooden crutches keeping her upright. Her companion eyed her disapprovingly, silently placing the sugar in her palm, his lips pulled down in a frown.

"I still don't see why you insist on baking now," Ferdinand spoke up behind her, sitting at the counter and watching the exchange with amusement. It was clear to all and sundry that the two partners shared a close bond; there was even a bet back at the tavern on which one of them would broach the intimate topic first. "Why not wait 'til morning?"

"Because, my dear cousin," she exclaimed cheerfully, leaning heavily against one crutch as she bent forward to open the oven, "I had the incurable urge to bake now." She wobbled a little too much and probably would've fallen ﬂat on her face had Krios not put out a hand to steady her, lifting her back up gently by her shoulders.

"Sit." He demanded, glaring at her until she sighed and hobbled away, one casted leg weighing her down.

"Bring it over to the counter, please. And the sugar! We mustn't forget that." She smiled sweetly at his unamused expression before plopping herself beside her cousin. It didn't take long for her to start ﬁddling, tapping her ﬁngers on the counter and bouncing in her seat, a smile playing across her lips.

"What medicines have they given you?" He demanded, watching in slight alarm when she started to giggle spontaneously, her eyes ﬂashing from his to the open entryway of the bakery. "I think I may need to cut you off."

"Oh, don't be silly," she laughed, slapping at his forearm playfully. "Can't I just be in a great mood?"

"You were nearly crushed to death by a morbidly fat dodo only a few days ago, cousin."

"Yes. _Nearly_."

Krios set the freshly baked pie in front of them before moving to lean against the far wall across from her, folding his arms grimly across his chest. "He is right. You should be resting, not gallivanting around the city playing matchmaker."

"Krios! You'll spoil it!"

"Spoil what?" Ferdinand raised a questioning brow at his cousin, suddenly feeling nervous. "What's going on?"

She shot her partner a murderous glare. "Thanks a lot. You ruin all of my fun."

He thought there was the trace of a smile on Krios' face, but then it was probably just a trick of the light. The man only seemed to smile when his cousin was making a fool of herself...

"Kotori. What have you done?"

At that moment there was a soft knock at the entrance, and Ferdinand glanced up to see a familiar face smiling back at him.

"I hope I'm not late." The caramel skinned Elezen said softly, entering the room and shooting everyone a charming smile. "Something smells delicious! Is that your famous recipe, Kotori?"

She waved him forward, practically glowing with pleasure. "I wouldn't qualify it as famous quite yet, but yes. Come, you may have my seat." She turned to wink at her cousin, who was staring at the exchange with a mix of confusion and shock.

"Have a lovely evening, gentlemen!" She waved to them, beaming, as Krios handed her her crutches. "I expect details, cousin." She stage-whispered, making him blush. Winking again, she and Krios headed off into the night, leaving him with his long overdue date.

"I see you've met my cousin." He started off rather lamely.

"Yes. Quite an interesting character, isn't she?"

Ferdinand shot him a look, dragging the pie towards them and cutting a slice. "You have no idea."

_Fin_


End file.
